Adjustable length prop apparatus



Dec. 14, 1965 E. L. MOODY 3,223,271

ADJUSTABLE LENGTH PROP APPARATUS Filed April 30, 1962 INVENTOR. m MWfleceaSed BY a u-v v 77700 9 admin: 't'ranx BY M,

United States Patent 3,223,271 ADJUSTABLE LENGTH PROP APPARATUS Eugene L. Moody, deceased, late of Saginaw, Micln, by Avis E. Moody, widow and representative, 1523 Owen, Saginaw, Mich.

Filed Apr. 30, 1962, Ser. No. 191,375 3 Claims. (Cl. 217-60) This invention relates to an adjustable length prop device and more particularly to prop apparatus that is adapted to support and releasably latch the hinged trunk lid of a motor vehicle in any one of a number of selected open positions.

A vehicle owner frequently has occasion to drive his vehicle with the trunk lid or deck in an open position. The trunk lid of a modern vehicle conventionally is biased to a raised or open position by springs which are of such capacity as slightly to overcome the weight of the lid so that the lid normally has a tendency to remain in an open position. Such springs ordinarily are not of sufficient capacity to maintain a trunk lid in a raised position as the vehicle is driven. Consequently, it is not uncommon for the trunk lid to swing up and down during the movement of the vehicle unless care is taken to avoid such swinging movements of the lid.

Various kinds of chains, cables, ropes and related devices have been proposed heretofore for use in securing a vehicle lid in an open position, and such devices conventionally react between a part of the trunk lid and some other part of the vehicle body to exert a force on the lid tending to close it. For such devices to perform their intended function, it is necessary that the trunk lid be brought to bear against the article or articles carried within the trunk. Engagement between the trunk lid and the articles is not always desirable in the sense that such engagement may mar the articles or otherwise damage them. Moreover, it is not unusual for the load transported in the trunk to shift somewhat, thereby possibly slackening the chain or rope and permitting the trunk lid to vibrate up and down against the load.

An object of this invention is to provide a prop device which is capable of rigidly supporting a trunk lid in any one of a number of positions and preventing any vibration of the trunk lid.

Another object of the invention is to provide a prop device of the kind referred to which is capable of being stored in a convenient, out-of-the-Way place when not in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a trunk lid prop device which is simple and convenient to operate.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out specifically or Will become apparent from the following description when it is considered in conjunction with the appended claims and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary view partly in side elevation and partly in section of a typical vehicle having its trunk lid supported in a raised position;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view, on an enlarged scale, of a portion of the prop apparatus;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2, but illustrating another portion of the prop apparatus;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of FIGURE 1 and illustrating a mounting device for the prop part shown in FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of FIGURE 1 and showing a storage clamp device.

Apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention is adapted for use in conjunction with a vehicle 1 "ice having a trunk cavity 2 at one end thereof provided with a floor 3 formed by a body panel. The trunk cavity is adapted to be closed by a trunk lid or deck 4 that is hinged as at 5 to the body of the vehicle 1 in the usual manner. Preferably, springs (not shown) react between the vehicle body and the trunk lid to bias the latter to a raised position as is conventional.

The prop apparatus is designated generally by the reference character 6 and comprises an elongated, rigid, tubular member 7 that is pivotally or rockably mounted adjacent one of its ends as at 8 on a bracket 9 that may be bolted, welded, or otherwise suitably fixed to the inner surface of the trunk lid. The prop member 9 is provided with an axially extending slot 10 in one Wall thereof which extends substantially the full length of the prop member. The slot 10 communicates with a plurality of laterally branching openings 11 which are axially spaced along the length of the slot 10.

The prop apparatus also includes an elongated, rigid, preferably tubular member 12 that is of such size as slideably to telescope within or overlap the member 7. The member 12 is provided with an opening 14 adjacent one of its ends for removable reception of a pin 15 that also is adapted removably to pass through openings formed in a pair of ears 16 supported on a mounting bracket 17 which may be bolted or Welded to the trunk floor 3. Preferably, the pin 15 is provided with a pivoted end section 18 which may be rocked relatively to the remaining portion of the pin to prevent inadvertent separation of the pin flom the bracket 17. If desired, the pin may be connected to a chain 19 and the latter anchored by a screw 20 to the floor 3 so as to prevent loss of the pin.

Means is provided for latching the telescoping parts 7 and 12 in a selected position of length adjustment and comprises a latch bolt 22 having a threaded shank 23 that extends through a laterally or circumferentially elongated hole 24 formed in the tubular member 12. The threaded end of the bolt shank is threaded into a correspondingly threaded clamp nut 25 which is loosely received within the member 12, and the opposite end of the shank extends through the slot 10 in the member 7 and terminates in an enlarged head 26.

The construction and arrangement of the latch parts are such that rotation of the latch bolt in a direction to remove it from its clamp nut enables the latch bolt to be moved laterally relatively to the members 7 and 12, as permitted by the elongated hole 24. The length of the hole 24 should be such as to enable the latch bolt to be moved relatively to the member 7 a distance corresponding to the distance from the slot 10 to the end of any one of the openings 11. When the latch bolt has been moved into one of the openings 11, the bolt may be rotated in a direction to clamp the members 7 and 12 between the clamp nut 25 and the bolt head 26, thereby precluding inadvertent release of the latch mechanism.

When the parts of the apparatus are assembled in the manner shown in FIGURE 1, the trunk lid will be supported in its raised position rigidly, inasmuch as the latch bolt 23 will be securely, but releasably, clamped in one of the openings 10. In these positions of the parts, the trunk lid may neither raise nor lower, since the shank of the latch bolt will be trapped in one of the openings 10.

When it is desired to lower the trunk lid, the pin 15 may be withdrawn from the member 12 and the prop parts 7 and 12 swung as a unit about the axis of the pivot 8 in a clockwise direction as is viewed in FIGURE 1. At a convenient point on the inner surface of the trunk lid is a storage clamp 27 having a pair of generally U-shaped, spring clamp arms 28 and 29 that may be riveted as at 30 to a bracket that is welded, screwed, or otherwise fixed to the trunk lid. The distance between the arms 28 and 29 is less than the diameter of the prop part that is adapted to be received therebetween, thereby enabling the prop to be clampingly supported by the clamp device in an out-of-the-way position. By clamping the latch bolt to the members 7 and 12 in the manner previously described, and by clamping the prop in the storage position between the clamp arms 28 and 29, the prop apparatus is prevented from rattling.

When the prop apparatus has been clamped in its storage position, the pin 15 may be assembled with the bracket 17, and the trunk lid closed.

The disclosure embodiment is representative of a presently preferred form of the invention, but is intended to be illustrative rather than definitive thereof. The invention is defined in the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a vehicle having a trunk compartment including a trunk lid, hinged at its front end to the vehicle body and raisable from a closed to an open position, and a trunk floor wall; a generally vertically extending prop assembly comprising first elongated still rod means hingedly connected at one end to the underside of said lid, and second elongated stiff rod means; a mounting member on said floor wall; said second rod means being detachably connected to said mounting member and extending upwardly longitudinally toward said other end of said first rod means; means for releasably securing said second rod means at its lower end to said mounting member; means for securing said first and second rod means together to form a variable length prop assembly holding said lid fixed in open position; and securing means on the underside of said lid for holding said prop assembly on the underside of said lid when the second rod means has been released from said mounting member and said prop assembly has been swung upwardly to the underside of said lid.

2. In combination with a vehicle having a trunk compartment including a trunk lid, hinged at its front end to the vehicle body and raisable from a closed to an open position, and a trunk floor wall; a generally vertically extending prop assembly comprising first elongated stiff tube means pivotally connected at one end to the underside of said lid, and second elongated stiff tube means in telescoping relation therewith; a mounting member on said floor wall; said second tube means being detachably connected to said mounting member; means for releasably securing said second tube means at its lower end to said mounting member; clamp means exerting a radial clamping force on said telescoped first and second tube means for securing said first and second tube means in various relative longitudinal positions to form a stiff prop assembly holding said lid fixed in various open positions; and resilient clamp means in position on the underside of said lid, for receiving said prop assembly when the second tube means has been released from said mounting member and said assembly has been swung upwardly to the underside of said lid, holding said prop assembly on the underside of said lid when it is not in use.

3. The combination defined in claim 2 in which said first tube means has an elongated, longitudinal slot with longitudinally spaced apart apertures communicating therewith, threaded fastener means received in said slot for movement longitudinally thereof and laterally into a selected aperture; there being a lateral slot in the upper end of said second tube means through which said fastener means extends; and shoe means within said second tube means mounted on said fastener means and operable to clamp said first and second tube means together when said fastener means has been moved laterally relative to said lateral slot and longitudinal slot into one of said apertures.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 768,869 8/ 1904 Symons 217- 948,349 2/ 1910 Settle 248-354 1,149,790 8/ 1915 Sherwood 292-276 1,319,729 10/1919 Sowers 296-6 1,598,868 9/1926 Lundelius 217-60 2,136,836 11/1938 Bernard 292-276 2,220,876 11/ 1940 Carter 217-60 2,535,600 12/ 1950 Rappl 296-76 X 2,565,433 8/1951 Knight et al. 248-353 FOREIGN PATENTS 130,063 11/ 1948 Australia. 116,206 6/ 1918 Great Britain.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

EARLE J. DRUMMOND, LOUIS G. MANCENE,

Examiners.

R. H. SCHWARTZ, Assistant Examiner. 

2. IN COMBINATION WITH A VEHICLE HAVING A TRUNK COMPARTMENT INCLUDING A TRUNK LID, HINGED AT ITS FRONT END TO THE VEHICLE BODY AND RAISABLE FROM A CLOSED TO AN OPEN POSITION, AND A TRUNK FLOOR WALL; A GENERALLY VERTICALLY EXTENDING PROP ASSEMBLY COMPRISING FIRST ELONGATED STIFF TUBE MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT ONE END OF THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID LID, AND SECOND ELONGATED STIFF TUBE MEANS IN TELESCOPING RELATION THEREWITH; A MOUNTING MEMBER ON SAID FLOOR WALL; SAID SECOND TUBE MEANS BEING DETACHABLY CONNECTED TO SAID MOUNTING MEMBER; MEANS FOR RELEASABLY SECURING SAID SECOND TUBE MEANS AT ITS LOWER END TO SAID MOUNTING MEMBER; CLAMP MEANS EXERTING A RADIAL CLAMPING FORCE ON SAID TELESCOPED FIRST AND SECOND TUBE MEANS FOR SECURING SAID FIRST AND SECOND TUBE MEANS 